Two Think Minimum

Jonathan Nuechterlein and Howard Shelanski on the third edition of Digital Crossroads by Technology Policy Institute

In our latest Two Think Minimum podcast we talk with Stanford Law Professor Michael McConnell about two landmark Supreme Court cases reshaping presidential power. McConnell, who represented challengers in the historic tariff case striking down the President's use of IEEPA, explains how the Court's application of the Major Questions Doctrine reinforces Congress's constitutional authority over taxation while limiting executive overreach. The conversation then turns to the anticipated overturning of Humphrey's Executor, which would eliminate for-cause removal protections for independent agency heads. McConnell argues these cases reflect consistent constitutional principles: Congress controls how much power the executive branch has, while the elected president must control the powers that exist within it.

In our latest Two Think Minimum podcast, TPI’s Scott Wallsten talks with Jeffrey Macher, Professor at Georgetown University, about new research on how generative AI is changing scientific publishing around the world. Macher discusses evidence that large language models are being adopted most rapidly by researchers in countries that are linguistically distant from English-speaking nations, and that the language of those papers is increasingly converging with the style of U.S.-based scientific publications. The conversation explores how this shift may expand global participation in research, intensify competition for journal space, and potentially influence long-run innovation and U.S. competitiveness, while also raising questions about how researchers, reviewers, and journals will adapt as AI tools become ubiquitous.

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, Ambassador Steve Lang, currently a senior advisor at Crest Hill Advisors and non-resident senior associate with CSIS, discusses WRC-27. He is a veteran diplomat and international policy leader. Steve Lang was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Coordinator of International Communications and Information Policy, with the rank of Ambassador in 2024, and served in that role until 2025. He also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Information and Communications Policy from 2022. As coordinator, Steve led U.S. delegations to numerous international conferences and negotiations, including WRC-23. In his 30-year career as a U.S. diplomat, Steve has served in Japan, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Cuba.

After Google and Meta: What Comes Next for Antitrust Policy with Jon Nuechterlein and Bill Kovacic by Technology Policy Institute

Beyond GDP, with Diane Coyle by Technology Policy Institute

Shane Greenstein on Co-Invention and the Geography of AI Innovation by Technology Policy Institute

Monetizing AI: Subscriptions, Ads, or Something New with Catherine Tucker by Technology Policy Institute

The FCC’s Public Interest Standard: Shield or Weapon? with Harold Feld and Tom Hazlett by Technology Policy Institute

Bill Kovacic on Political Interference, Institutional Decay, and the Future of U.S. Antitrust by Technology Policy Institute

Supreme Court and Other Legal Developments by Technology Policy Institute

Needham's Laura Martin on Why Disney Should Ditch ABC by Technology Policy Institute

2025 TPI Aspen Forum: Privacy and Governmental Surveillance by Technology Policy Institute

Inside the NIH w/ Jay Bhattacharya on Innovation, Replication, and mRNA Policy by Technology Policy Institute

Welcome to a special edition of Two Think Minimum, the podcast of the Technology Policy Institute. This podcast is a replay of our August 18th panel discussion on antitrust policy from the 2025 TPI Aspen Forum. The panel covers Biden to Trump 2 asking whether antitrust traded expertise for populism, they hit mergers versus monopolization, politicization, content moderation, fights, and whether any of this will actually stick. The discussion was moderated by TPI President Emeritus and Senior Fellow Tom Lenard, and featured Dennis Carlton from the University of Chicago, Carl Shapiro from UC Berkeley, Howard Shelanski from Georgetown Law, and Christopher Yoo from the University of Pennsylvania.

Rewriting the Rules: Antitrust and the FTC with Jonathan M. Barnett and Larry White by Technology Policy Institute

William Kovacic and Jon Nuechterlein on Agency Independence and Humphrey's Executor by Technology Policy Institute

Little Tech, Big Challenges: Competing in the AI Era with Matt Perault by Technology Policy Institute

On the latest episode of Two Think Minimum, Gordon Crovitz, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of NewsGuard joins hosts Tom Lenard, Sarah Oh Lam, and Scott Wallsten to discuss the evolving landscape of news credibility, misinformation, and the role of media ratings. They discuss NewsGuard’s approach to assessing news sources, the controversies surrounding its ratings, and the broader implications of government involvement in media regulation.

Stablecoin Policy and the Future of Crypto with Christian Catalini by Technology Policy Institute

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, Nicolas Petit, Chair in Competition Law at the European University Institute, joins hosts Tom Lenard, Scott Wallsten, and Sarah Oh Lam to explore the pressing challenges facing European competitiveness. Drawing insights from the recent Draghi Report, Petit discusses Europe's innovation gaps, the role of big tech, and the critical policy shifts needed to secure the region's economic future.

On the latest episode of Two Think Minimum, TPI hosts Tom Lenard, Sarah Oh Lam, and Scott Wallsten explore the world of polls and prediction markets with Aristotle CEO John Phillips and General Counsel David Mason. Aristotle helps run PredictIt, a platform which enables research into how markets can forecast events in real-time. The conversation covers how PredictIt is navigating CFTC regulation, the broad value of small-dollar prediction markets to understanding public opinion and risk forecasting, and how PredictIt determines which questions to create contracts for. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone interested in the intersection of market dynamics, public opinion, and data-driven insights.

The Economics of AI: Prediction Machines and Their Impact with Ajay Agrawal by Technology Policy Institute

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, Ellen P. Goodman, a distinguished professor of law at Rutgers Law School and former Senior Advisor for Algorithmic Justice at NTIA, U.S. Department of Commerce discusses artificial intelligence accountability policy. The podcast revolves around the NTIA AI Accountability Policy Report, which was released in March 2024, which Goodman was the principal author of. Goodman shares insights into the process of gathering and analyzing public comments for the report, the challenges of defining accountability in the context of AI, and the complexities of establishing standards in a rapidly evolving field. The conversation also touches on the potential impact of AI on labor markets, the role of auditors in ensuring AI accountability, and the government's own use of AI technology. Goodman concludes by discussing her current research on AI and copyright issues, particularly the copyrightability of AI-generated outputs.

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, MIT Professor Catherine Tucker discusses her research on competition policy and artificial intelligence. The discussion focuses on how AI's unique cost structures differs from that of traditional digital economics, how economists think about AI, and the implications of AI for competition policy and antitrust enforcement. Tucker explains that the current high fixed and marginal costs in AI are likely temporary, and that it's difficult to predict which firms will succeed in the AI industry. She also highlights the challenges AI poses for antitrust enforcement, such as the potential lack of "hot docs," the need for greater technical expertise among regulators, and the importance of understanding the role of data and algorithms in competition analysis.

In this episode of Two Think Minimum, Caroline Cecot, an associate professor of law at Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, talks about her recent article "The Meaning of ‘Silence.’" The discussion focuses on the potential consequences of narrowing the applicability of the Chevron doctrine and consequences on the major questions doctrine. She discusses the broader implications of overruling or limiting Chevron deference and the role of cost-benefit analysis in agency decision-making and the effect of the composition and views of the Supreme Court on administrative law issues.

FTC Actions on Antitrust Reforms with Ginger Jin and Liad Wagman by Technology Policy Institute

The latest episode of the TPI Two Think Minimum podcast featured guest Megan McArdle, discussing pressing issues at the intersection of technology and society. The podcast covered several topics related to technology, policy, and societal impact, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of the implications of technological advancements and regulatory actions. Key topics included the proposed U.S. legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok over national security concerns, the biases detected in Google's AI system Gemini that favored certain political perspectives, and the broader societal adjustments that may be required as AI transforms various industries and jobs.

Growing Threats to Wireless Communications and How to Address Them by Technology Policy Institute

The journey to implementing spectrum auctions was not without its challenges. Evan Kwerel shed light on the initial resistance, particularly from the broadcasting industry and legislators. Concerns about market concentration and the potential costs of spectrum use were at the forefront of the debate. Despite these hurdles, the need for government revenue and the inefficiency of the existing system for cellular licenses were catalysts for change. Paul Milgrom provided a fascinating comparison between the United States and other countries. He noted the fragmented nature of the industry abroad and the various tactics used to suppress auction prices. In contrast, the U.S. wireless companies were less resistant, which played a part in the smoother implementation of spectrum auctions stateside.

The Perverse Effects of the Robinson-Patman Act https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/antibull31&div=37&id=&page=

Joe Nocera Discusses the Covid Policy Big Fail by Technology Policy Institute

On the most recent episode of TPI's podcast "Two Think Minimum," Dr. Meicen Sun, assistant professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign joined TPI's Scott Wallsten to discuss her research on the effects of a country's decision to control international internet traffic. She finds that China's Great Firewall has helped increase profits of Chinese firms, but at the cost of reducing research quality as scientific collaboration and connections wither. This result presents a dilemma for autocrats if they try to balance short-term and long-term effects.

Freedom of Speech in the Digital Age with Professor Jeff Kosseff by Technology Policy Institute

On the latest episode of TPI's podcast "Two Think Minimum," Xiaomeng Lu, a director at Eurasia Group, discussed the evolving dynamics of US-China relations related to technology policy with TPI's Scott Wallsten and Sarah Oh Lam. The discussion included implications of the CHIPS Act, strategic competition, semiconductor manufacturing, and the broader geopolitical landscape shaped by technology. The conversation highlighted how policy shifts and strategic decisions in both countries are shaping the future of global tech dominance and addressed the tension between domestic industrial policy and the globalized nature of the semiconductor industry.

How Technology Will Change Higher Education with Michael Smith by Technology Policy Institute

In the most recent episode of TPI's "Two Think Minimum" podcast, Michael Katz, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business & Department of Economics, joined Tom Lenard, Sarah Oh Lam, and Scott Wallsten to discuss the intricacies of antitrust in light of current cases. The dialogue covered exclusionary behavior, with Katz highlighting potential antitrust agency strategies like the "No Economic Sense Test," and explored market definitions. The team also discussed ongoing trials, providing insights into potential legal strategies and considerations affecting case developments and outcomes.

On the latest episode of Two Think Minimum, Technology Policy Institute Senior Fellow Sarah Oh Lam and President and Senior Fellow Scott Wallsten welcomed Eugene Volokh, a distinguished law professor at UCLA School of Law, to discuss his new law review article on LLMs and liability for AI output. This episode focuses on the legal implications of AI-generated content, particularly in the realm of libel, the current legal landscape, and the potential need for new legislation to address emerging AI technologies.

AI and Tech in Europe with European Parliament’s Peter Brown by Technology Policy Institute

On the latest episode of Two Think Minimum, TPI President and Senior Fellow Scott Wallsten and Senior Fellow Sarah Oh Lam interviewed Google’s Head of Economic Policy Research, Dr. Guy Ben-Ishai, about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on economic performance and policy. They delve into AI’s impacts on productivity and how the technology’s economic benefits will be distributed.

Ryan Vaughan of Needham & Company delves into the world of mergers in the media, tech, and telecom industries, drawing insights from the recent attempted merger between Standard General and Tegna.

On the latest TPI Two Think Minimum podcast, Tom Lenard and Sarah Oh Lam interview John Samples from the Oversight Board about the board's policy advisory opinion on COVID-19 misinformation. The podcast covers the challenges of content moderation on a large platform like Facebook, with millions of pieces of content needing to be dealt with daily and the need for a more variegated decision-making process involving more interest groups. They also discuss the trade-offs involved in COVID-19 policies and the importance of transparency regarding government requests. The podcast covers the need for a clear understanding of what constitutes misinformation and the dangers of too much concentration of power in content moderation.

On this episode of Two Think Minimum we welcome Professor Kristina McElheran. We explore the impact of artificial intelligence and related technologies on workers, workplaces, and productivity. Dr. McElheran shares her expertise on the economics and strategic management of technological change and how digitization is changing how firms innovate and make data-driven decisions.

On this episode of Two Think Minimum, we welcome Greg Ip, Chief Economics Commentator at the Washington Post, to discuss the topic of industrial policy. Greg shares his insights on the role of government in shaping and directing economic activity in key sectors, such as manufacturing, technology, and energy. He explores the history of industrial policy in the United States, from its early days in the post-war era to the present day, and examines how it has evolved. Greg also discusses the challenges and opportunities of implementing effective industrial policy in today's rapidly changing global economy and shares his thoughts on what policymakers can do to promote growth and innovation in key industries.

This episode of Two Think Minimum focuses on prediction markets and their regulation. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently tried to shut down Predictit, a leading prediction market, but the Fifth Circuit granted a temporary injunction to allow the site to continue operating. We interview two executives of Aristotle, the firm that incubated and helps run Predictit: John Phillips, CEO of Aristotle, and David Mason, Aristotle’s general counsel.

Jane Horvath joins Two Think Minimum to chat about privacy policy. She shares the serendipitous way she became a privacy expert in the early days at a technology start up. She also discusses the need for a baseline omnibus privacy law in the US. Jane recently became a partner at Gibson Dunn, where she is co-chair of the Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation Practice Group. She built and led Apple's privacy legal team, most recently serving as Apple's Chief Privacy Officer. And before that, she worked in privacy for Google, the US Department of Justice, and Digital City.

Sujit Raman discusses the current state, regulatory framework, and future of cryptocurrency with us on Two Think Minimum. Sujit is General Counsel at TRM Labs, a leading blockchain and Web3analytics company that helps organizations detect, assess, and investigate crypto related fraud and financial crime. Previously, he was a partner at Sidley Austin, where he focused his practice on cybersecurity and data privacy issues, internal investigations, and white collar criminal defense. Earlier in his career, Mr. Raman served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General in the US Department of Justice, and he also helped oversee the DOJs cyber related policy development. In addition, he oversaw the creation of the Department's cryptocurrency enforcement framework, which remains federal law enforcement strategy blueprint for investigating crypto related crime.

Stuart Brotman joins Two Think Minimum to discuss the most recent Texas and Florida litigation concerning content moderation and the First Amendement. He shares ideas for creating cultural change around our nation's value of free speech. Stuart is the inaugural Howard Distinguished Endowed Professor of Media Management and Law and Beaman Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has served in four presidential administrations on a bipartisan basis and has taught students from 42 countries in six separate disciplines. He also has advised private and public sector telecommunications, Internet media, entertainment, and sports clients in more than 30 countries on five continents.

Guest Avi Goldfarb discusses AI as prediction technology likely to transform our systems over a long period of time. Goldfarb is the Rotman Chair of Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare and a Professor of Marketing at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He's also Chief Data Scientist at the Creative Destruction Lab, a Faculty Affiliate at the Vector Institute and the Schwartzman Institute for Technology and Society, and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Avi's research focuses on the opportunities and challenges of the digital economy. Additionally, he is co-author of a new book titled Power and Prediction, The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence, which will be coming out on November 15th.

Jay Bhattacharya joins Two Think Minimum for a look at the responses of public health and economic experts to Covid-19. He asserts the need for a retrospective to learn from it, discussing his own criticisms of the professional communities. Jay is a professor of health policy at Stanford University and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He directs Stanford Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging. He co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter in response to the pandemic and lockdowns.